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Tabasi, A. (author), Brouwer, N.P. (author), Kingma, I. (author), van Dijk, W. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), Moya-Esteban, A. (author), van de Kooij, H. (author), van Dieën, J.H. (author)This study investigated the effects of back muscle fatigue on the estimation of low-back loads and active low-back moments during lifting, using an EMG and kinematics based model calibrated with data from an unfatigued state. Fourteen participants performed lifting tasks in unfatigued and fatigued states. Fatigue was induced through semi-static...article 2023
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de Vries, A.W. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), Krause, F. (author)Positive effects of arm support exoskeletons in reducing the shoulder load, have been reported mainly from laboratory studies. However, for exoskeletons to provide worker support in practice, they need to be accepted as well. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain insight into the user experience and attitude towards exoskeleton use, in relevant...bookPart 2022
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Tabasi, A. (author), Lazzaroi, M. (author), Brouwer, N.P. (author), Kingma, I. (author), van Dijk, W. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), Toxiri, S. (author), Ortiz, J. (author), van Dieen, J.H. (author)Estimation of low-back load can be used to determine the assistance to be provided by an actuated back-support exoskeleton. To this end, an EMG-driven muscle model and a regression model can be implemented. The goal of the regression model is to reduce the number of required sensors for load estimation. Both models need to be calibrated. This...bookPart 2022
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Kingma, B.R.M. (author), Koopmans, A.S. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), van Dieen, J.H. (author)To evaluate the biomechanical effect of exoskeletons during lifting, three studies were performed to compare spine compression during lifting without and with three exoskeletons (Laevo, Robo-Mate, SPEXOR). In these studies, participants (11, 10 and 10, respectively) lifted boxes (10, 15 and 10 kg, respectively) from ankle height. Spine...bookPart 2022
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Tabasi, A. (author), Lazzaroni, M. (author), Brouwer, N.P. (author), Kingma, I. (author), van Dijk, W. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), Toxiri, S. (author), Ortiz, J. (author), van Dieën, J.H. (author)The risk of low-back pain in manual material handling could potentially be reduced by back-support exoskeletons. Preferably, the level of exoskeleton support relates to the required muscular effort, and therefore should be proportional to the moment generated by trunk muscle activities. To this end, a regression-based prediction model of this...article 2022
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Baltrusch, S. (author), Krause, F. (author), de Vries, A.W. (author), van Dijk, W. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author)In this review we address the human in human robot collaboration (HRC). Although there are different hypotheses on potential effects of HRC on job quality, defined as the quality of the working environment and its effect on the employee's well-being, a comprehensive theory is still lacking. How does HRC influence job quality on an individual...article 2022
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de Vries, A.W. (author), Baltrusch, S.J. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author)Exoskeleton use in day-to-day plastering may face several challenges. Not all plasterer's tasks comprise of movements that will be supported by the exoskeleton and might even be hindered. Furthermore, use in practice might be jeopardized by time pressure, colleagues being negative, discomfort or any other hindrance of the exoskeleton.We set up a...article 2022
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Kermavnar, T. (author), de Vries, A.W. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), O'Sullivan, L.W. (author)This study is an updated systematic review of papers published in the last 5 years on industrial back-support exoskeletons. The research questions were aimed at addressing the recent findings regarding objective (e.g. body loading, user performance) and subjective evaluations (e.g. user satisfaction), potential side effects, and methodological...article 2021
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Crea, S. (author), Beckerlie, P. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), de Pauw, K. (author), Grazi, L. (author), Kermavnar, T. (author), Masood, J. (author), O’Sullivan, L.W. (author), Pacifico, I. (author), Rodriguez, C (author), Vitiello, N. (author), Ristic Durnat, D. (author), Veneman, J. (author)The large-scale adoption of occupational exoskeletons (OEs) will only happen if clear evidence of effectiveness of the devices is available. Performing product-specific field validation studies would allow the stakeholders and decision-makers (e.g., employers, ergonomists, health, and safety departments) to assess OEs’ effectiveness in their...article 2021
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Koopman, A.S. (author), Kingma, I. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), van Dieën, J.H. (author)Low-back pain is the number one cause of disability in the world, with mechanical loading as one of the major risk factors. Exoskeletons have been introduced in the workplace to reduce low back loading. During static forward bending, exoskeletons have been shown to reduce back muscle activity by 10% to 40%. However, effects during dynamic...article 2020
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Tabasi, A. (author), Kingma, I. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), van Dijk, W. (author), Koopman, A.S. (author), van Dieën, J.H. (author)Back support exoskeletons are designed to prevent work-related low-back pain by reducing mechanical loading. For actuated exoskeletons, support based on moments actively produced by the trunk muscles appears a viable approach. The moment can be estimated by a biomechanical model. However, one of the main challenges here is the feasibility of...article 2020
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Koopman, A.S. (author), Naf, M. (author), Baltrusch, S.J. (author), Kingma, I. (author), Rodriguez-Guerrero, C. (author), Babic, J. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), van Dieën, J.H. (author)The number one cause of disability in the world is low-back pain, with mechanical loading as one of the major risk factors. To reduce mechanical loading, exoskeletons have been introduced in the workplace. Substantial reductions in back muscle activity were found when using the exoskeleton during static bending and manual materials handling....article 2020
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Koopman, A.S. (author), Toxiri, S. (author), Power, V. (author), Kingma, I. (author), van Dieën, J.H. (author), Ortiz, J. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author)With mechanical loading as the main risk factor for LBP, exoskeletons (EXO)are designed to reduce the load on the back by taking over part of the moment normally generated by back muscles. The present study investigated the effect of an active exoskeleton, controlled using three different control modes (INCLINATION, EMG & HYBRID), on spinal...article 2019
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Toxiri, S. (author), Koopmans, A.S. (author), Lazzaroni, M. (author), Ortiz, J. (author), Power, V. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), O'Sullivan, L. (author), Caldwell, D.G. (author)The potential versatility of active exoskeletons is achieved by appropriately modulating their actuation forces. This is done by assistive strategies that interpret user’s movements and assistance needs during operation. This article shows how different strategies determine the effectiveness of an active back-support exoskeleton designed to...article 2019
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Koopman, A.S. (author), Kingma, I. (author), Faber, G.S. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), van Dieën, J.H. (author)With mechanical loading as the main risk factor for LBP in mind, exoskeletons are designed to reduce the load on the back by taking over a part of the required moment. The present study assessed the effect of a passive exoskeleton on back and abdominal muscle activation, hip and lumbar flexion and on the contribution of both the human and the...article 2019
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Huysamen, K. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), Bosch, T. (author), Ortiz, J. (author), Toxin, S. (author), O'Sullivan, L.W. (author)The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an industrial exoskeleton on muscle activity, perceived musculoskeletal effort, measured and perceived contact pressure at the trunk, thighs and shoulders, and subjective usability for simple sagittal plane lifting and lowering conditions. Twelve male participants lifted and lowered a box of 7...article 2018
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Toxiri, S. (author), Koopman, A.S. (author), Lazzaroni, M. (author), Ortiz, J. (author), Power, V. (author), de Looze, M.P. (author), O'Sullivan, L. (author), Caldwell, D.G. (author)Active exoskeletons are potentially more effective and versatile than passive ones, but designing them poses a number of additional challenges. An important open challenge in the field is associated to the assistive strategy, by which the actuation forces are modulated to the user's needs during the physical activity. This paper addresses this...article 2018
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de Looze, M.P. (author), Krause, F. (author), O’Sullivan, L.W. (author)Worldwide, a significant interest in wearable robots or exoskeletons does exist, also from an industrial background. This paper provides an overview of assistive exoskeletons that have specifically been developed for industrial purposes. It discusses their potential in increasing performance and flexibility on one hand and in reducing the...bookPart 2017
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de Looze, M.P. (author), van Rhijn, G. (author)Het werken met robots is gemakkelijker en gezonder als ze zijn ontworpen met de mens als uitgangspunt. De robotisering en digitalisering van arbeid voltrekt zich in rap tempo. Veel mensen maken zich zorgen om hun baan. Als bedrijven én de komende regering hier niet slim mee omgaan.article 2017
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